South Dakota Tech News Report February 2003

February 20, 2003
South Dakota Tech News Report
February 2003 BOR Meeting
Tech Professors Solve Custer Mystery
Two South Dakota School of Mines and Technology professors solved a mystery of the Custer expedition to the Black Hills by locating the exact location where one of the original expedition photographs was taken.
The mystery was created with the publication of “Exploring With Custer: The 1874 Black Hills Expedition.” The book includes several dozen 1874 photographs paired with modern photographs taken at the same locations. The book’s researchers and authors were not convinced they had the correct location of the original photo on page 262.
“We didn’t think it was right, and we told the readers to go find it,” researcher Jack McCulloh said. “And these guys did it.”
These guys are Jack Redden and Perry Rahn, both professors emeritus in Tech’s Department of Geology and Geological Engineering. Using their knowledge of the geology of the Black Hills, the pair searched for the location at several likely spots along Little Elk Creek and Boxelder Creek near Nemo Road. After several promising locations turned out to be wrong, they found the location between two Custer campsites.
Redden and Rahn matched the spot using the geological features of the cliff. Complicating the match was the angle of the camera when the original photo was taken. Original expedition photographer W.H. Illingworth tilted the camera about 25 degrees, making the rock layers seem steeper than they are.
The pair showed their photographs to the book’s researchers, who verified the location. A new photo of the correct location will be taken and used in an updated version of the book.
“This book is the result of more than 10 years of work,” McCulloh said. “We didn’t think it was completely done yet. With the help of people like Redden and Rahn, South Dakota will eventually have a book that’s bulletproof.”
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‘Vagina Monologues’ Coming To South Dakota Tech
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The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has been chosen as a site for the V-Day College Campaign of the play, the Vagina Monologues. Tech has been given the rights to a special version of the script for the performance to produce on campus.
The V-Day Warriors will perform the series of sketches at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom on campus.
There are several conditions to the gift. The event must be predominantly student-run, directed and acted. Also, Tech must sell tickets, with the proceeds benefiting a community organization that works to prevent violence against women and girls. Tech has chosen as its beneficiary Ohitka Najin Win Oti (Standing Strong Woman House), a shelter for American Indian women and their children.
“This is an excellent opportunity to bring together people on our campus and make an impact in the community as well,” Student Activities and Leadership Center Director Michelle Howell said.
V-Day is designed to generate broad attention for the fight to stop worldwide violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery. V-Day provides funding to create and nurture programs to stop the violence. Find more about V-Day at www.vday.org.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door for the public. Tickets are $3 for Tech students. For tickets and information, call 394-2336.
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Discover Polyhedra At The Children’s Science Center
Dick Termes will host a series of Polyhedra Workshops at the Children's Science Center, 515 West Boulevard, Feb. 6, 7 and 8. Students will learn about math and art as Termes shows how to create 25 different polyhedra models. Workshops cost $17 for members of the Children's Science Center and $19 for non-members. Call the Children's Science Center to register: (605) 394-6996
Registration for the Polyhedra Workshops is open to everyone, and space is still available for all workshops. Financial scholarships are available through the Children's Science Center for the Polyhedra Workshops. Please visit www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/csc to download an application, or contact the Children's Science Center to apply.
Friday, Feb. 7, join the Children's Science Center for Friday Family Fun Night. The theme for this evening is The Meeting of Art and Math. All attending will have
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the opportunity to watch Dick Termes' Polyhedra workshops. Admission costs $3 per person, and pizza will be served for $1 per slice.
These Polyhedra Workshops are an opportunity for students to expand their understanding of the connection between art and geometry. The creation of a polyhedron is a hands-on experience that can use either wooden rods and foam balls or magnets to form shapes that can expand both inward and outward. Students will also learn how polyhedra can play a role in our lives through architecture, biology, chemistry and sculpture. Dick Termes will discuss where we can find these structures in our daily lives both naturally and human-made, and how important they are in our world.
Dick Termes is an artist from Spearfish, SD, internationally known for his creation of “Termespheres.” These spherical paintings depict the visual experience of the artist from six different perspectives: north, south, east, west, above and below. The completed sphere creates a three dimensional painting that represents the holistic visual experience of the artist. “It’s like diving into another world,” Termes comments.
Both M.C. Escher and Buckminster Fuller were strong influences for Termes. Termes has now been working on spherical surfaces for 32 years, and has created more than 160 unique pieces. His goal is to depict the artist’s visual experience as it really is. To fully understand Termes’ art, it is important to completely mentally immerse oneself into the structure.
South Dakota Arts Council support is provided with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by the Allied Arts Fund Drive.
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Hitchcock Returns to Rapid City
The ninth annual Nostalgia Night film series opens Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Elks Theatre with Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, “Rear Window.” The classic thriller stars James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr.
First released in 1954, “Rear Window” was Hitchcock’s 40th film and his final and most successful one-set film. The film was one of five “lost” Hitchcock films that were unavailable for nearly 30 years due to a film rights dispute. Rereleased in 1983, the film was nearly lost forever due to physical deterioration. In 1995, a restoration project was undertaken and after three painstaking years of work, in 1998, the film once again became available.
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Nostalgia Night is an annual series of 10 weekly films presented by The Friends of the Devereaux Library at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, in cooperation with the Elk Theatre. Other films being show this year are “Mister Roberts,” “Father of the Bride,” “Too Hot to Handle,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Sergeant York,” “The Quiet Man,” “An Affair to Remember,” “Sunset Boulevard” and “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.”
All films begin at 6 p.m. Season ticket books are available for $30 at Prince and Pauper Bookshop, The Devereaux Library at South Dakota Tech, and the Elks Theatre. Ticket for individual films will be available at the door on a space available basis the evening of the show for $4.50 each.
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Romano Receives TEA Award
The Career Service Council at Tech has given its Tradition of Excellence Award for January to Marie Romano, senior secretary in Student Affairs and Dean of Students. She started at Tech in June 1999.
The Career Service Council gives the award to someone who has performed their assigned duties at a high level or above and beyond expectations, who has taken the initiative to promote the concept of successful job completion and has promoted a positive working relationship with students, faculty and staff.
Her nominator said Marie “goes out of her way to help students, especially those in a crisis situation. Watching Marie work her magic on the judicial affairs portion of her duties is simply amazing. Marie is really interested in students’ well-being and goes out of her way to help when there is a problem. She also has a down-to-Earth sense of humor and life experience that help with her job.” Marie "is a master at juggling" schedules "to maximize the opportunity for students to experience "open door" access to the Dean of Students."
Romano requested that her $5 stipend be given to Working Against Violence, Inc.
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Tech Faculty And Staff Receive $3.45 Million
In January 2003, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology staff and faculty received more than $3.4 million in federal and state grants to conduct research and fund programs. That research and those programs will improve the educations students receive, improve weather forecasting, help give the United
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States military the weapons and equipment it needs and make other important advances in knowledge.
The awards:
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Dr. Kate Alley, director, Academic Initiatives, received $300,000 from the Bush Foundation for the project, “Complexity and Coherence: Integrating Research and Curriculum Development to Create New Learning Environments."
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Dr. Gale Bishop, director, Museum of Geology, received $9,006 from Georgia Southern University (Prime: Department of Education-Eisenhower Higher Education Act) for the project, "2002 Eisenhower Sea Turtle Assistantship."
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Dr. David Boyles, professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Dr. Jon Kellar, chair and professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, and Dr. William Cross, research scientist II, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, received $203,707 from the United States Department of Agriculture (EPSCOR) for the project, “NanoBio-Plastics and Composites from Linseed Oil and Saccharidic Source Materials.”
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Dr. Richard Farley, research scientist IV, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $9,900 from the North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board (Prime: State of North Dakota) for the project, “Severe Thunderstorm Numerical Simulations Manuscript Rework.”
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Dr. Sherry Farwell, dean, Graduate Education and Sponsored Programs, received $100,000 in additional funds from NASA for the project, “South Dakota Space Grant College and Fellowship Program - 2003 First Robotics Program.” Farwell also received $10,502 in additional funds from the University of North Dakota (Prime: NASA) for the project, “A Public Access Resource Center (PARC) Empowering the General Public to Use EOSDIS - Implementation Phase.”
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Carrie Herbel, collections manager and preparator, Museum of Geology, received $8,000 United States Department of the Interior-Badlands National Park for the project, “Preparation and Curation of Fossils collected from the Bombing Range Survey, Badlands National Park.” She also received $2,400 from United States Department of the Interior-Badlands National Park for the project, “Curatorial Backlog of Museum Specimens, Badlands National Park.”
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Dr. Mark Hjelmfelt, professor, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $58,527 in additional funds from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Collaborative Research: Investigations of Non-Classic Lake-Effect Boundary Layer Process Supplement.”
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Dr. Jon Kellar, chair and professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, and Dr. William Cross, research scientist II, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, received $42,000
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from Advintec (Prime-Department of Defense) for the project, “Improved Performance of Composite Tanks in Cryogenic Storage Applications.”
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Dr. Melvin Klasi, associate professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, received $43,997 from the South Dakota State University (Prime-Federal Highway Administration (US DOT) for the project, “South Dakota Transportation Technology Services (16).”
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Dr. Jan Puszynski, professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, William Arbegast, director, Advanced Materials Processing, Dr. David Boyles, professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Dr. Fernand Marquis, professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Dr. Mikhail Foygel, professor, Department of Physics, Dr. Andrey Petukhov, professor, Department of Physics, Dr. Vladimir Sobolev, associate professor, Department of Physics, Dr. Sherry Farwell, dean, Graduate Education and Research, Dr. Brad Baker, assistant professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, and Dr. David Dixon, associate professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, received $2,145,000 from the Army Research Laboratory (prime-USDOD) for the project, “Advanced Materials and Processes for Future Combat Systems.”
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Dr. Paul Smith, professor emeritus, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $250,000 in additional funds from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Armored T-28 Aircraft Facility for Research Requiring Storm Penetrations.” Smith also receives $36,000 from Aeromet, Inc. (Prime-United States Army) for the project, “Further Calibration Work on the KPol Radar.”
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Dr. Patrick Zimmerman, director, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, and professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, received $250,000 in additional funds from the Governor's Office-State of South Dakota for the project, “South Dakota Carbon Sequestration Project (C-Lock).”
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Explore Art and Math at the Children's Science Center
The Children’s Science Center’s Friday Family Fun Night’s theme for the month of February is The Meeting of Art and Math. The evening’s events will last from 3:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at the Science Center, 515 West Boulevard, Rapid City, SD 57701.
This evening of fun and education begins at 4 p.m., when the Children's Science Center's doors open to all families. Between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., Dick Termes will host a Polyhedra Workshop for students from grades 4 to 5. At 5 p.m., pizza will be served for $1 per slice. At 6 p.m., Termes will give a public presentation on the Meeting of Art and Math. Then between 7 and 9 p.m., Termes will host a Polyhedra Workshop for students from grades 9 to 12.
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General admission to Friday Family Fun Night costs $3 per person. All families are welcome at the Science Center to watch the Polyhedra Workshops, but please register in advance to participate in these workshops, as space is limited. Workshops cost $17 for Children's Science Center members and $19 for non-members. Call the Children's Science Center at (605) 394-6996 to register today.
The Children’s Science Center hosts Friday Family Fun Nights so families can spend time together learning, exploring and having fun. Those who attend the Fun Night will enjoy the educational lesson as well as interact with current traveling exhibit, Animals as Architects. They will also get to see the photos in the United States Geological Survey Flood of '72 exhibit and spend time with all other activities in the Center.
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Bottle Up Your Homeschoolers
On Thursday, Feb. 13, from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m., the Children's Science Center will be holding an enrichment class for homeschoolers. The theme for this class is "All Bottled Up," and it will cost $10 for members of the CSC and $12 for non-members. Please register in advance by calling (605) 394-6996.
What do you get if you combine science with a soda pop bottle? Did you know that you can create and ecosystem as well as discover the concept of a niche in an ordinary bottle? Students attending this homeschool enrichment class at the Children's Science Center will learn about the environment using only recyclable containers.
The Children's Science Center is an outreach service of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The goal of the Children's Science Center is to create an environment to help children and adults nurture their curiosity about science and technology and the world around them.
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Zoom Into National Engineers Week
Learning if engineering is the best career for you and designing a complicated way to recycle an aluminum can join a full slate of interesting programs during the 26th Engineers Week at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Activities begin Friday, Feb. 14, and continue through Saturday, Feb. 22. “Without Engineers the World Stops” is the theme for this year’s celebration.
Many of the events are open to the public. The schedule:
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology News Report
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Friday, Feb. 14
Bridge Building Contest
4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 – entry deadline
2:15 p.m. Feb. 14 – bridge strength testing, Civil Mechanical Building
Tech students, technicians, and faculty will test the maximum load of cardboard bridges built by junior and senior high school students. Call 394-2256 to register.
Saturday, Feb. 15
Kids’ Block Contest
10 a.m. – Surbeck Center Ballroom
Children, grades 1 through 6 compete at engineering a specified building project, using their imaginations and interlocking building blocks. Call 342-0425 to register.
Tuesday, Feb. 18
Tuesday Forum – “How Much Water is There – and How Good is It?”
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Surbeck Center Ballroom
Janet Carter will present a summary of major findings about ground water, water quality and precipitation in the Black Hills area. The forum will include a question and answer session.
Rube Goldberg Machine Contest
3 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Surbeck Center Ballroom
The object is to build a machine to accomplish the assigned duty – select and empty a 12-ounce aluminum can, crush it and place it in a recycling bin – in the most inefficient way using 20 steps or more. Call 394-2343 to register.
Wednesday, Feb. 19
“Engineering Makes the Word Go Around” – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
9:30 a.m. – Middle and high school students, Surbeck Center Ballroom
Engineer Celeste Baine will speak about how engineering can change your life, what engineers are doing and why engineers think they have the best job on the planet.
“Is There an Engineer Inside You?” – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
4 p.m. – High school and Tech Students, Surbeck Center Ballroom
Engineer Celeste Baine will speak about opportunities in engineering, how to prepare to be an engineer, why being an engineer is one of the best things you can do for yourself and typical salaries for engineers.
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Thursday, Feb. 20
Recognition of Outstanding Graduates/Initiation into the
Order of the Engineer
11 a.m. – Surbeck Center Ballroom
Selected Tech alumni who graduated 10 years ago will be honored for their outstanding professional and civic achievements since their graduation. Initiates into the Order of the Engineer will be presented with rings and certificates of membership.
Friday, Feb. 21
“Hot Chemistry, Cool Show”
9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. presentations – Surbeck Center Ballroom
Engineers Week presentations for middle school students. Tech students and faculty will demonstrate why chemistry is cool with exploding cotton and other neat experiments. Call 394-2256 to register.
See Engineering and Science at Work
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Various departments will have displays, experiments and interactive games to entertain and show how things work using everyday items such as dirt, water and steam. Call 394-2256 to register.
Grubby Contests
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Surbeck Center Snack Bar
Students will participate in games such as the egg drop, marble grope, bridge building, bubble blowing, balloons through a chicken wire cage, front end loader, forces in equilibrium and the silly putty ball bounce. Call 394-5270 to register.
Annual Engineers Week Banquet
6 p.m. – Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn
A social time and dinner will precede the Bill Craig Scholarship Presentation, Engineer of the Year Award and the Young Engineer of the Year Award. Call 394-2256 to register.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Computer Programming Contest
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. – Electrical/Physics Building, room 341
A contest for high school students who want to become computer programmers. Call 394-2471 to register.
Mathcounts
1 p.m. – Classroom Building, room 204
A math contest for seventh- and eighth-grade students of West River schools. Call 343-0222 to register.
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Health And Wellness Expo Feb. 13
The sixth “Matters of the Heart: A Health and Wellness Expo” will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
The fair is designed for Tech students, and focuses on health issues for young people, such as sports injuries, nutrition, drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and abuse, stress management, sexually transmitted diseases and other issues young people face. Tech also invites high school students and young adults to attend. Highlights include massages, body fat analysis, dorm room workouts, healthy relationships and push-up and sit-up contests.
The purpose is to increase awareness and provide information to students on health issues, as well offer them free health screenings.
The Tech Athletic Department will have information about sports training techniques and sign-ups for intramural sports. There also will be fun contests, prizes and giveaways.
The Expo usually features 30 to 50 groups that host booths. Between 200 and 350 people usually attend.
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Scouts Discover Science At The CSC
Brownies can earn Science in Action badges and Girl Scouts can earn Science Discovery Badges by completing all necessary science-related activities on Thursday, Feb. 13, from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the Children's Science Center. These classes cost $5 for all scouts and $2 for adults. Please register by calling (605) 394-6996.
Brownies, go on a science and technology hunt. Make some glop or a butterfly. Have fun with magnets and light. Brownies will complete 4 out of 6 fun science experiments to earn this Science in Action badge.
Girl Scouts, put your investigative powers to the test. Conduct a variety of experiments and learn all you ever wanted to know about being a scientist. Girl Scouts will complete 6 out of 8 science-related activities to earn a Science Discovery badge.
The Children's Science Center is an outreach service of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The goal of the Children's Science Center is to create
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an environment to help children and adults nurture their curiosity about science and technology and the world around them.
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Tour Tech February 22
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will host “Tour Tech 2003” for prospective high school juniors and seniors beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, on campus.
Visitors can tour the university, meet with professors, see departmental demonstrations, visit residence halls, browse through organizational fair booths, tour sports and recreation facilities and meet current students to hear a firsthand account of life at South Dakota Tech.
“Tour Tech gives students a chance to see what college life will be all about,” Tech Admissions Director Joe Mueller said. “It’s a way for Tech to introduce itself to students and for students to get to know Tech.”
Call 394-2414 for information or to register. Register on-line at www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/tourtech.
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‘Reflections On NASA’s Columbia’ Forum Topic
Tom Durkin, deputy director and outreach coordinator of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, will present the program, "Reflections on NASA's Columbia," at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The event will take place in the lounge on the second floor of the Classroom Building on campus.
Durkin will share information about the crew, the mission, and provide updated information about the ongoing investigation. He also will describe his experiences working with NASA, and what this tragedy may mean for the future of space exploration and missions.
Tech invites the public to attend this free event.
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Phonathon A Success
Twelve Tech students, working with the Tech Foundation, collected more than $41,000 in pledges and contributions during the 2003 Foundation Phonathon.
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The students made more than 6,000 phone calls during eight nights of calling during drive. The Foundation processed almost 900 pledge cards or requests for information during the effort.
The majority of the donated and pledged dollars are unrestricted, meaning the Foundation can use them in areas of most need.
The semi-annual Phonathon is the most effective way the Foundation has found to reach a large number of alumni in a short period of time. Nearly $400,000 has been contributed since the Phonathons began in the fall of 1998.
The students: Jessie Ashley (Chemistry, Rapid City), Katie Begeman (Chemical Engineering, Rapid City), Megan Dangel (Civil Engineering, Viborg), Jonathan Hurd (Mechanical Engineering, Rockham), Matthew Jeschke (Computer Engineering, Fremont, Neb.), Dan Keller (Mechanical Engineering, Wallace), Georgia Knauss (Geology, Bowman, N.D.), Tyler Loeb (Electrical Engineering, Raleigh, N.D.), Ericka Oberembt (Civil Engineering, Rapid City), Jennifer Pohl (Civil Engineering, Wheaton, Minn.), Matthew Seidel (Industrial Engineering, Crawford, Neb.), and Breanne Vottero (Chemical Engineering, Rapid City)
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Tech Hosts One Act Play Festival
The Drama Club at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will present a series of student-directed performances during the annual One Act Play Festival. The festival begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom on campus.
The performances include:
• “What Women Want Most,” directed by Matt Colvin and Nick Vosberg, is a comedy set in King Arthur's court.
• "Cows with Guns," performed by Justin Betz, is a comical piece about a barnyard uprising.
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“Mystery at the Blue Moon Café,” performed and directed by Krista Masteller.
T
he Drama Club invites everyone to this free event.
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Tech Presents Outstanding Recent Graduate Awards
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The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will present its annual Outstanding Recent Graduate Awards during a ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom.
The Outstanding Recent Graduate program honors Tech graduates who have achieved exemplary career progress and recognition within 10 years of their graduation. The program was originated and is sponsored by the Tech Alumni Association and the Tech Foundation. Those selected for this award are considered excellent role models to show current students the importance of continued personal growth in a rapidly changing world.
The 2003 recipients:
Matthew Bunkers
Matthew Bunkers graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary sciences in 1992 and a master’s degree in meteorology in 1993. Since graduation, he has advanced to his current position as Senior Forecaster with the National Weather Service in Rapid City. He has authored or co-authored 15 professional publications. Bunkers has developed and implemented an algorithm to predict supercell thunderstorm motion that is used in national and international weather prediction models. His expertise and contributions have been recognized regionally and nationally. He is active in presentations to various groups, has conducted numerous storm-spotter training courses and continues active involvement with Tech.
Janet M. Carter
Janet Carter graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering in 1992 and a master’s degree in 1994. At the U.S. Geological Survey’s Huron Subdistrict Office, she rose to the position of project chief, with responsibility for five major water-resources projects. In 1997, she transferred to the Rapid City District Office and was appointed project chief for the Black Hills Hydrology Study in 2000. In addition to her project management duties, she has 32 publications, including water-resources investigations, hydrologic atlases, journal articles and one book chapter. A native of South Dakota, she is an outstanding example of excellence in her field.
James P. Daley
James P. Daley graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering in 1994. He started his career after graduation with BHP Minerals in Farmington, N.M., where he rose through the ranks from entry-level engineer to Assistant to the Mine Manager. After joining Stillwater Mining as Mine Superintendent, he became Quarry Manager for Specialty Minerals Inc. He is SMI’s representative to Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association, the California Mining Association and to a government, mining and environmental coalition developing a strategy for mining and endangered species to coexist. He is active in professional organizations and in his church and community.
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Stacy Phelps
Stacy Phelps graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1996, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in computer education and technology from Dakota State University. Since 1996, he has directed the National Science Foundation sponsored Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) at Oglala Lakota College and has served as the Site-Coordinator for the NASA Honors Program since 1992. He has been actively involved in $33 million in grant-funded projects that directly focus on fostering opportunities for American Indians in math, science, technology and engineering. He is actively involved in his community as a coach, mentor and role model to Indian youth.
T. J. Safranski
T. J Safranski graduated from Tech in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He was on the South Dakota Tech tennis team that won districts twice, was all-district twice, and was an NAIA Scholar Athlete. Additionally, he completed a co-op at Caterpillar where he later went on to work after completing his master’s degree in electrical engineering from Purdue. He has leveraged his engineering degrees to several assignments throughout Caterpillar in engineering, marketing and information technology in the United States and in Europe.
Gail Schmidt
Gail Schmidt graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1992 and a master’s degree in 1994. She has worked on important projects as a software developer and as a project manager for the EROS Data Center. She has also been an energetic advocate for economic development in Rapid City. As a captain in the Rockerville fire department, she volunteered her time and talent to fight some of the worst fires in the history of the state.
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Lecturer To Speak About Orthopedic Engineering
Karen Warden, an expert in the field of orthopedic engineering will speak at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom. Tech’s student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering invites the public to attend this free event.
Orthopedic engineers advance our knowledge of musculoskeletal biomechanics, biologic and synthetic biomaterials and implant design, development and performance. Orthopedic engineers play a role in the following facts:
• Fifty percent of the more than 11 million people in the United States who have some form of medical implant have orthopedic devices.
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• Athletic performance has increased dramatically during the past 50 years.
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Scars left by knee surgery have dramatically decreased in size during the past 25 years.
W
arden’s talk will describe the history of orthopedic engineering, the application of mechanical engineering fundamentals to biomechanics, types of implants and their materials, the role of the engineer in the field and some of the emerging technology. Warden also will exhibit samples of several implants.
Warden is a doctoral candidate at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio who specializes in spinal biomechanics. She has been active in the field for the past 10 years in academic, industrial and consulting capacities. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and received research and achievement awards.
Warden’s talk is part of ASME’s Distinguished Lecturers Program. The program allows ASME members and guests to meet and listen to engineering researchers and practitioners. Local presentations bring researchers at the leading edge of their technology into close contact with working engineers, scientists and students.
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February 20, 2003
South Dakota Tech News Report
February 2003 BOR Meeting
Tech Professors Solve Custer Mystery
Two South Dakota School of Mines and Technology professors solved a mystery of the Custer expedition to the Black Hills by locating the exact location where one of the original expedition photographs was taken.
The mystery was created with the publication of “Exploring With Custer: The 1874 Black Hills Expedition.” The book includes several dozen 1874 photographs paired with modern photographs taken at the same locations. The book’s researchers and authors were not convinced they had the correct location of the original photo on page 262.
“We didn’t think it was right, and we told the readers to go find it,” researcher Jack McCulloh said. “And these guys did it.”
These guys are Jack Redden and Perry Rahn, both professors emeritus in Tech’s Department of Geology and Geological Engineering. Using their knowledge of the geology of the Black Hills, the pair searched for the location at several likely spots along Little Elk Creek and Boxelder Creek near Nemo Road. After several promising locations turned out to be wrong, they found the location between two Custer campsites.
Redden and Rahn matched the spot using the geological features of the cliff. Complicating the match was the angle of the camera when the original photo was taken. Original expedition photographer W.H. Illingworth tilted the camera about 25 degrees, making the rock layers seem steeper than they are.
The pair showed their photographs to the book’s researchers, who verified the location. A new photo of the correct location will be taken and used in an updated version of the book.
“This book is the result of more than 10 years of work,” McCulloh said. “We didn’t think it was completely done yet. With the help of people like Redden and Rahn, South Dakota will eventually have a book that’s bulletproof.”
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‘Vagina Monologues’ Coming To South Dakota Tech
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology News Report
February 2003 BOR Meeting
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has been chosen as a site for the V-Day College Campaign of the play, the Vagina Monologues. Tech has been given the rights to a special version of the script for the performance to produce on campus.
The V-Day Warriors will perform the series of sketches at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom on campus.
There are several conditions to the gift. The event must be predominantly student-run, directed and acted. Also, Tech must sell tickets, with the proceeds benefiting a community organization that works to prevent violence against women and girls. Tech has chosen as its beneficiary Ohitka Najin Win Oti (Standing Strong Woman House), a shelter for American Indian women and their children.
“This is an excellent opportunity to bring together people on our campus and make an impact in the community as well,” Student Activities and Leadership Center Director Michelle Howell said.
V-Day is designed to generate broad attention for the fight to stop worldwide violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery. V-Day provides funding to create and nurture programs to stop the violence. Find more about V-Day at www.vday.org.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door for the public. Tickets are $3 for Tech students. For tickets and information, call 394-2336.
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Discover Polyhedra At The Children’s Science Center
Dick Termes will host a series of Polyhedra Workshops at the Children's Science Center, 515 West Boulevard, Feb. 6, 7 and 8. Students will learn about math and art as Termes shows how to create 25 different polyhedra models. Workshops cost $17 for members of the Children's Science Center and $19 for non-members. Call the Children's Science Center to register: (605) 394-6996
Registration for the Polyhedra Workshops is open to everyone, and space is still available for all workshops. Financial scholarships are available through the Children's Science Center for the Polyhedra Workshops. Please visit www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/csc to download an application, or contact the Children's Science Center to apply.
Friday, Feb. 7, join the Children's Science Center for Friday Family Fun Night. The theme for this evening is The Meeting of Art and Math. All attending will have
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology News Report
February 2003 BOR Meeting
the opportunity to watch Dick Termes' Polyhedra workshops. Admission costs $3 per person, and pizza will be served for $1 per slice.
These Polyhedra Workshops are an opportunity for students to expand their understanding of the connection between art and geometry. The creation of a polyhedron is a hands-on experience that can use either wooden rods and foam balls or magnets to form shapes that can expand both inward and outward. Students will also learn how polyhedra can play a role in our lives through architecture, biology, chemistry and sculpture. Dick Termes will discuss where we can find these structures in our daily lives both naturally and human-made, and how important they are in our world.
Dick Termes is an artist from Spearfish, SD, internationally known for his creation of “Termespheres.” These spherical paintings depict the visual experience of the artist from six different perspectives: north, south, east, west, above and below. The completed sphere creates a three dimensional painting that represents the holistic visual experience of the artist. “It’s like diving into another world,” Termes comments.
Both M.C. Escher and Buckminster Fuller were strong influences for Termes. Termes has now been working on spherical surfaces for 32 years, and has created more than 160 unique pieces. His goal is to depict the artist’s visual experience as it really is. To fully understand Termes’ art, it is important to completely mentally immerse oneself into the structure.
South Dakota Arts Council support is provided with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by the Allied Arts Fund Drive.
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Hitchcock Returns to Rapid City
The ninth annual Nostalgia Night film series opens Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Elks Theatre with Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, “Rear Window.” The classic thriller stars James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr.
First released in 1954, “Rear Window” was Hitchcock’s 40th film and his final and most successful one-set film. The film was one of five “lost” Hitchcock films that were unavailable for nearly 30 years due to a film rights dispute. Rereleased in 1983, the film was nearly lost forever due to physical deterioration. In 1995, a restoration project was undertaken and after three painstaking years of work, in 1998, the film once again became available.
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February 2003 BOR Meeting
Nostalgia Night is an annual series of 10 weekly films presented by The Friends of the Devereaux Library at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, in cooperation with the Elk Theatre. Other films being show this year are “Mister Roberts,” “Father of the Bride,” “Too Hot to Handle,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Sergeant York,” “The Quiet Man,” “An Affair to Remember,” “Sunset Boulevard” and “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.”
All films begin at 6 p.m. Season ticket books are available for $30 at Prince and Pauper Bookshop, The Devereaux Library at South Dakota Tech, and the Elks Theatre. Ticket for individual films will be available at the door on a space available basis the evening of the show for $4.50 each.
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Romano Receives TEA Award
The Career Service Council at Tech has given its Tradition of Excellence Award for January to Marie Romano, senior secretary in Student Affairs and Dean of Students. She started at Tech in June 1999.
The Career Service Council gives the award to someone who has performed their assigned duties at a high level or above and beyond expectations, who has taken the initiative to promote the concept of successful job completion and has promoted a positive working relationship with students, faculty and staff.
Her nominator said Marie “goes out of her way to help students, especially those in a crisis situation. Watching Marie work her magic on the judicial affairs portion of her duties is simply amazing. Marie is really interested in students’ well-being and goes out of her way to help when there is a problem. She also has a down-to-Earth sense of humor and life experience that help with her job.” Marie "is a master at juggling" schedules "to maximize the opportunity for students to experience "open door" access to the Dean of Students."
Romano requested that her $5 stipend be given to Working Against Violence, Inc.
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Tech Faculty And Staff Receive $3.45 Million
In January 2003, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology staff and faculty received more than $3.4 million in federal and state grants to conduct research and fund programs. That research and those programs will improve the educations students receive, improve weather forecasting, help give the United
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February 2003 BOR Meeting
States military the weapons and equipment it needs and make other important advances in knowledge.
The awards:
•
Dr. Kate Alley, director, Academic Initiatives, received $300,000 from the Bush Foundation for the project, “Complexity and Coherence: Integrating Research and Curriculum Development to Create New Learning Environments."
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Dr. Gale Bishop, director, Museum of Geology, received $9,006 from Georgia Southern University (Prime: Department of Education-Eisenhower Higher Education Act) for the project, "2002 Eisenhower Sea Turtle Assistantship."
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Dr. David Boyles, professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Dr. Jon Kellar, chair and professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, and Dr. William Cross, research scientist II, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, received $203,707 from the United States Department of Agriculture (EPSCOR) for the project, “NanoBio-Plastics and Composites from Linseed Oil and Saccharidic Source Materials.”
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Dr. Richard Farley, research scientist IV, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $9,900 from the North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board (Prime: State of North Dakota) for the project, “Severe Thunderstorm Numerical Simulations Manuscript Rework.”
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Dr. Sherry Farwell, dean, Graduate Education and Sponsored Programs, received $100,000 in additional funds from NASA for the project, “South Dakota Space Grant College and Fellowship Program - 2003 First Robotics Program.” Farwell also received $10,502 in additional funds from the University of North Dakota (Prime: NASA) for the project, “A Public Access Resource Center (PARC) Empowering the General Public to Use EOSDIS - Implementation Phase.”
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Carrie Herbel, collections manager and preparator, Museum of Geology, received $8,000 United States Department of the Interior-Badlands National Park for the project, “Preparation and Curation of Fossils collected from the Bombing Range Survey, Badlands National Park.” She also received $2,400 from United States Department of the Interior-Badlands National Park for the project, “Curatorial Backlog of Museum Specimens, Badlands National Park.”
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Dr. Mark Hjelmfelt, professor, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $58,527 in additional funds from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Collaborative Research: Investigations of Non-Classic Lake-Effect Boundary Layer Process Supplement.”
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Dr. Jon Kellar, chair and professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, and Dr. William Cross, research scientist II, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, received $42,000
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February 2003 BOR Meeting
from Advintec (Prime-Department of Defense) for the project, “Improved Performance of Composite Tanks in Cryogenic Storage Applications.”
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Dr. Melvin Klasi, associate professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, received $43,997 from the South Dakota State University (Prime-Federal Highway Administration (US DOT) for the project, “South Dakota Transportation Technology Services (16).”
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Dr. Jan Puszynski, professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, William Arbegast, director, Advanced Materials Processing, Dr. David Boyles, professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Dr. Fernand Marquis, professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Dr. Mikhail Foygel, professor, Department of Physics, Dr. Andrey Petukhov, professor, Department of Physics, Dr. Vladimir Sobolev, associate professor, Department of Physics, Dr. Sherry Farwell, dean, Graduate Education and Research, Dr. Brad Baker, assistant professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, and Dr. David Dixon, associate professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, received $2,145,000 from the Army Research Laboratory (prime-USDOD) for the project, “Advanced Materials and Processes for Future Combat Systems.”
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Dr. Paul Smith, professor emeritus, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $250,000 in additional funds from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Armored T-28 Aircraft Facility for Research Requiring Storm Penetrations.” Smith also receives $36,000 from Aeromet, Inc. (Prime-United States Army) for the project, “Further Calibration Work on the KPol Radar.”
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Dr. Patrick Zimmerman, director, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, and professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, received $250,000 in additional funds from the Governor's Office-State of South Dakota for the project, “South Dakota Carbon Sequestration Project (C-Lock).”
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Explore Art and Math at the Children's Science Center
The Children’s Science Center’s Friday Family Fun Night’s theme for the month of February is The Meeting of Art and Math. The evening’s events will last from 3:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at the Science Center, 515 West Boulevard, Rapid City, SD 57701.
This evening of fun and education begins at 4 p.m., when the Children's Science Center's doors open to all families. Between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., Dick Termes will host a Polyhedra Workshop for students from grades 4 to 5. At 5 p.m., pizza will be served for $1 per slice. At 6 p.m., Termes will give a public presentation on the Meeting of Art and Math. Then between 7 and 9 p.m., Termes will host a Polyhedra Workshop for students from grades 9 to 12.
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February 2003 BOR Meeting
General admission to Friday Family Fun Night costs $3 per person. All families are welcome at the Science Center to watch the Polyhedra Workshops, but please register in advance to participate in these workshops, as space is limited. Workshops cost $17 for Children's Science Center members and $19 for non-members. Call the Children's Science Center at (605) 394-6996 to register today.
The Children’s Science Center hosts Friday Family Fun Nights so families can spend time together learning, exploring and having fun. Those who attend the Fun Night will enjoy the educational lesson as well as interact with current traveling exhibit, Animals as Architects. They will also get to see the photos in the United States Geological Survey Flood of '72 exhibit and spend time with all other activities in the Center.
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Bottle Up Your Homeschoolers
On Thursday, Feb. 13, from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m., the Children's Science Center will be holding an enrichment class for homeschoolers. The theme for this class is "All Bottled Up," and it will cost $10 for members of the CSC and $12 for non-members. Please register in advance by calling (605) 394-6996.
What do you get if you combine science with a soda pop bottle? Did you know that you can create and ecosystem as well as discover the concept of a niche in an ordinary bottle? Students attending this homeschool enrichment class at the Children's Science Center will learn about the environment using only recyclable containers.
The Children's Science Center is an outreach service of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The goal of the Children's Science Center is to create an environment to help children and adults nurture their curiosity about science and technology and the world around them.
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Zoom Into National Engineers Week
Learning if engineering is the best career for you and designing a complicated way to recycle an aluminum can join a full slate of interesting programs during the 26th Engineers Week at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Activities begin Friday, Feb. 14, and continue through Saturday, Feb. 22. “Without Engineers the World Stops” is the theme for this year’s celebration.
Many of the events are open to the public. The schedule:
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February 2003 BOR Meeting
Friday, Feb. 14
Bridge Building Contest
4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 – entry deadline
2:15 p.m. Feb. 14 – bridge strength testing, Civil Mechanical Building
Tech students, technicians, and faculty will test the maximum load of cardboard bridges built by junior and senior high school students. Call 394-2256 to register.
Saturday, Feb. 15
Kids’ Block Contest
10 a.m. – Surbeck Center Ballroom
Children, grades 1 through 6 compete at engineering a specified building project, using their imaginations and interlocking building blocks. Call 342-0425 to register.
Tuesday, Feb. 18
Tuesday Forum – “How Much Water is There – and How Good is It?”
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Surbeck Center Ballroom
Janet Carter will present a summary of major findings about ground water, water quality and precipitation in the Black Hills area. The forum will include a question and answer session.
Rube Goldberg Machine Contest
3 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Surbeck Center Ballroom
The object is to build a machine to accomplish the assigned duty – select and empty a 12-ounce aluminum can, crush it and place it in a recycling bin – in the most inefficient way using 20 steps or more. Call 394-2343 to register.
Wednesday, Feb. 19
“Engineering Makes the Word Go Around” – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
9:30 a.m. – Middle and high school students, Surbeck Center Ballroom
Engineer Celeste Baine will speak about how engineering can change your life, what engineers are doing and why engineers think they have the best job on the planet.
“Is There an Engineer Inside You?” – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
4 p.m. – High school and Tech Students, Surbeck Center Ballroom
Engineer Celeste Baine will speak about opportunities in engineering, how to prepare to be an engineer, why being an engineer is one of the best things you can do for yourself and typical salaries for engineers.
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February 2003 BOR Meeting
Thursday, Feb. 20
Recognition of Outstanding Graduates/Initiation into the
Order of the Engineer
11 a.m. – Surbeck Center Ballroom
Selected Tech alumni who graduated 10 years ago will be honored for their outstanding professional and civic achievements since their graduation. Initiates into the Order of the Engineer will be presented with rings and certificates of membership.
Friday, Feb. 21
“Hot Chemistry, Cool Show”
9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. presentations – Surbeck Center Ballroom
Engineers Week presentations for middle school students. Tech students and faculty will demonstrate why chemistry is cool with exploding cotton and other neat experiments. Call 394-2256 to register.
See Engineering and Science at Work
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Various departments will have displays, experiments and interactive games to entertain and show how things work using everyday items such as dirt, water and steam. Call 394-2256 to register.
Grubby Contests
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Surbeck Center Snack Bar
Students will participate in games such as the egg drop, marble grope, bridge building, bubble blowing, balloons through a chicken wire cage, front end loader, forces in equilibrium and the silly putty ball bounce. Call 394-5270 to register.
Annual Engineers Week Banquet
6 p.m. – Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn
A social time and dinner will precede the Bill Craig Scholarship Presentation, Engineer of the Year Award and the Young Engineer of the Year Award. Call 394-2256 to register.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Computer Programming Contest
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. – Electrical/Physics Building, room 341
A contest for high school students who want to become computer programmers. Call 394-2471 to register.
Mathcounts
1 p.m. – Classroom Building, room 204
A math contest for seventh- and eighth-grade students of West River schools. Call 343-0222 to register.
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Health And Wellness Expo Feb. 13
The sixth “Matters of the Heart: A Health and Wellness Expo” will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
The fair is designed for Tech students, and focuses on health issues for young people, such as sports injuries, nutrition, drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and abuse, stress management, sexually transmitted diseases and other issues young people face. Tech also invites high school students and young adults to attend. Highlights include massages, body fat analysis, dorm room workouts, healthy relationships and push-up and sit-up contests.
The purpose is to increase awareness and provide information to students on health issues, as well offer them free health screenings.
The Tech Athletic Department will have information about sports training techniques and sign-ups for intramural sports. There also will be fun contests, prizes and giveaways.
The Expo usually features 30 to 50 groups that host booths. Between 200 and 350 people usually attend.
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Scouts Discover Science At The CSC
Brownies can earn Science in Action badges and Girl Scouts can earn Science Discovery Badges by completing all necessary science-related activities on Thursday, Feb. 13, from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the Children's Science Center. These classes cost $5 for all scouts and $2 for adults. Please register by calling (605) 394-6996.
Brownies, go on a science and technology hunt. Make some glop or a butterfly. Have fun with magnets and light. Brownies will complete 4 out of 6 fun science experiments to earn this Science in Action badge.
Girl Scouts, put your investigative powers to the test. Conduct a variety of experiments and learn all you ever wanted to know about being a scientist. Girl Scouts will complete 6 out of 8 science-related activities to earn a Science Discovery badge.
The Children's Science Center is an outreach service of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The goal of the Children's Science Center is to create
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an environment to help children and adults nurture their curiosity about science and technology and the world around them.
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Tour Tech February 22
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will host “Tour Tech 2003” for prospective high school juniors and seniors beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, on campus.
Visitors can tour the university, meet with professors, see departmental demonstrations, visit residence halls, browse through organizational fair booths, tour sports and recreation facilities and meet current students to hear a firsthand account of life at South Dakota Tech.
“Tour Tech gives students a chance to see what college life will be all about,” Tech Admissions Director Joe Mueller said. “It’s a way for Tech to introduce itself to students and for students to get to know Tech.”
Call 394-2414 for information or to register. Register on-line at www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/tourtech.
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‘Reflections On NASA’s Columbia’ Forum Topic
Tom Durkin, deputy director and outreach coordinator of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, will present the program, "Reflections on NASA's Columbia," at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The event will take place in the lounge on the second floor of the Classroom Building on campus.
Durkin will share information about the crew, the mission, and provide updated information about the ongoing investigation. He also will describe his experiences working with NASA, and what this tragedy may mean for the future of space exploration and missions.
Tech invites the public to attend this free event.
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Phonathon A Success
Twelve Tech students, working with the Tech Foundation, collected more than $41,000 in pledges and contributions during the 2003 Foundation Phonathon.
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February 2003 BOR Meeting
The students made more than 6,000 phone calls during eight nights of calling during drive. The Foundation processed almost 900 pledge cards or requests for information during the effort.
The majority of the donated and pledged dollars are unrestricted, meaning the Foundation can use them in areas of most need.
The semi-annual Phonathon is the most effective way the Foundation has found to reach a large number of alumni in a short period of time. Nearly $400,000 has been contributed since the Phonathons began in the fall of 1998.
The students: Jessie Ashley (Chemistry, Rapid City), Katie Begeman (Chemical Engineering, Rapid City), Megan Dangel (Civil Engineering, Viborg), Jonathan Hurd (Mechanical Engineering, Rockham), Matthew Jeschke (Computer Engineering, Fremont, Neb.), Dan Keller (Mechanical Engineering, Wallace), Georgia Knauss (Geology, Bowman, N.D.), Tyler Loeb (Electrical Engineering, Raleigh, N.D.), Ericka Oberembt (Civil Engineering, Rapid City), Jennifer Pohl (Civil Engineering, Wheaton, Minn.), Matthew Seidel (Industrial Engineering, Crawford, Neb.), and Breanne Vottero (Chemical Engineering, Rapid City)
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Tech Hosts One Act Play Festival
The Drama Club at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will present a series of student-directed performances during the annual One Act Play Festival. The festival begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom on campus.
The performances include:
• “What Women Want Most,” directed by Matt Colvin and Nick Vosberg, is a comedy set in King Arthur's court.
• "Cows with Guns," performed by Justin Betz, is a comical piece about a barnyard uprising.
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“Mystery at the Blue Moon Café,” performed and directed by Krista Masteller.
T
he Drama Club invites everyone to this free event.
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Tech Presents Outstanding Recent Graduate Awards
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February 2003 BOR Meeting
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will present its annual Outstanding Recent Graduate Awards during a ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom.
The Outstanding Recent Graduate program honors Tech graduates who have achieved exemplary career progress and recognition within 10 years of their graduation. The program was originated and is sponsored by the Tech Alumni Association and the Tech Foundation. Those selected for this award are considered excellent role models to show current students the importance of continued personal growth in a rapidly changing world.
The 2003 recipients:
Matthew Bunkers
Matthew Bunkers graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary sciences in 1992 and a master’s degree in meteorology in 1993. Since graduation, he has advanced to his current position as Senior Forecaster with the National Weather Service in Rapid City. He has authored or co-authored 15 professional publications. Bunkers has developed and implemented an algorithm to predict supercell thunderstorm motion that is used in national and international weather prediction models. His expertise and contributions have been recognized regionally and nationally. He is active in presentations to various groups, has conducted numerous storm-spotter training courses and continues active involvement with Tech.
Janet M. Carter
Janet Carter graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering in 1992 and a master’s degree in 1994. At the U.S. Geological Survey’s Huron Subdistrict Office, she rose to the position of project chief, with responsibility for five major water-resources projects. In 1997, she transferred to the Rapid City District Office and was appointed project chief for the Black Hills Hydrology Study in 2000. In addition to her project management duties, she has 32 publications, including water-resources investigations, hydrologic atlases, journal articles and one book chapter. A native of South Dakota, she is an outstanding example of excellence in her field.
James P. Daley
James P. Daley graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering in 1994. He started his career after graduation with BHP Minerals in Farmington, N.M., where he rose through the ranks from entry-level engineer to Assistant to the Mine Manager. After joining Stillwater Mining as Mine Superintendent, he became Quarry Manager for Specialty Minerals Inc. He is SMI’s representative to Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association, the California Mining Association and to a government, mining and environmental coalition developing a strategy for mining and endangered species to coexist. He is active in professional organizations and in his church and community.
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Stacy Phelps
Stacy Phelps graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1996, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in computer education and technology from Dakota State University. Since 1996, he has directed the National Science Foundation sponsored Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) at Oglala Lakota College and has served as the Site-Coordinator for the NASA Honors Program since 1992. He has been actively involved in $33 million in grant-funded projects that directly focus on fostering opportunities for American Indians in math, science, technology and engineering. He is actively involved in his community as a coach, mentor and role model to Indian youth.
T. J. Safranski
T. J Safranski graduated from Tech in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He was on the South Dakota Tech tennis team that won districts twice, was all-district twice, and was an NAIA Scholar Athlete. Additionally, he completed a co-op at Caterpillar where he later went on to work after completing his master’s degree in electrical engineering from Purdue. He has leveraged his engineering degrees to several assignments throughout Caterpillar in engineering, marketing and information technology in the United States and in Europe.
Gail Schmidt
Gail Schmidt graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1992 and a master’s degree in 1994. She has worked on important projects as a software developer and as a project manager for the EROS Data Center. She has also been an energetic advocate for economic development in Rapid City. As a captain in the Rockerville fire department, she volunteered her time and talent to fight some of the worst fires in the history of the state.
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Lecturer To Speak About Orthopedic Engineering
Karen Warden, an expert in the field of orthopedic engineering will speak at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom. Tech’s student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering invites the public to attend this free event.
Orthopedic engineers advance our knowledge of musculoskeletal biomechanics, biologic and synthetic biomaterials and implant design, development and performance. Orthopedic engineers play a role in the following facts:
• Fifty percent of the more than 11 million people in the United States who have some form of medical implant have orthopedic devices.
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South Dakota School of Mines and Technology News Report
February 2003 BOR Meeting
• Athletic performance has increased dramatically during the past 50 years.
•
Scars left by knee surgery have dramatically decreased in size during the past 25 years.
W
arden’s talk will describe the history of orthopedic engineering, the application of mechanical engineering fundamentals to biomechanics, types of implants and their materials, the role of the engineer in the field and some of the emerging technology. Warden also will exhibit samples of several implants.
Warden is a doctoral candidate at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio who specializes in spinal biomechanics. She has been active in the field for the past 10 years in academic, industrial and consulting capacities. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and received research and achievement awards.
Warden’s talk is part of ASME’s Distinguished Lecturers Program. The program allows ASME members and guests to meet and listen to engineering researchers and practitioners. Local presentations bring researchers at the leading edge of their technology into close contact with working engineers, scientists and students.
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